Sunshine Coast prep teacher aide alleged toilet photos: Parents speak out after charges laid

Parents have spoken out over a lack of communication from schools after a Sunshine Coast Prep teacher aide was charged with allegedly taking photos of students’ genitals.

Parents have spoken out over a lack of communication from schools after a Sunshine Coast Prep teacher aide was charged with allegedly taking photos of students’ genitals.

Concerned parents are losing sleep and have criticised the lack of support from schools after a Sunshine Coast Prep teacher aide was charged with taking photos of students’ genitals in the bathrooms.

Boden Reece Ashworth, 25, was charged with five counts of indecent treatment of children under 12 and possessing child exploitation material.

Mr Ashworth, who was working at two local primary schools and had previously worked at a third, was granted bail in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 11.

A mother who spoke to the Sunshine Coast Daily is among a group of parents who she said were “horrified” and “angry” with their school’s approach to the situation.

She said the whole school community was sent a letter at 4pm on November 9 regarding an investigation involving one of the staff members with no information on who it was and what had allegedly occurred.

The mother said she was “sick with worry” when the news broke and questioned why the school wouldn’t have spoken directly to the parents of the affected class before sending out the letter.

“Some of the parents that I’ve spoken to have called the numbers that have been listed on the official communication and nobody is answering,” the mother said.

“The principal said they would be available to talk to anyone who needed to speak the next day but they weren’t because I asked ... and wasn’t able to.”

The mother said while the school asked parents to refrain from providing commentary about the allegations, she believed it was important for parents to talk to their children.

“What we’ve been talking about as a group is advocating for talking to your children about what is safe and what is not safe, or what is appropriate and what is not appropriate,” she said.

“Even if it’s uncomfortable you need to have these conversations with your children, parents need to be vigilant about this and they need to take it seriously.”

The letter that was sent out to the school community by one of the schools involved.

Another parent from a separate school where the teacher was employed, told the Sunshine Coast Daily they had a similar experience with a lack of transparency.

“We got a letter on October 28 and it just stated that there’s some investigation with an employee and there was a phone number to contact the detective,” she said.

The mother said she initially trusted the process but when rumours started spreading and her child came home asking if it was safe for her to use the toilet she wasn’t happy.

“We should’ve as parents had the chance to ask our children if there was any involvement or clarify at least what has happened and how to go about it,” she said.

The mother said she would have expected a meeting where the school could explain to the parents what the process was and give them an opportunity to explain it to their children.

“The lack of communication and the lack of transparency just makes me distrust the school and the system so much,” she said.

The Queensland Department of Education provided a statement to the Sunshine Coast Daily confirming the teacher was suspended as soon as they became aware of the “serious and sensitive” allegations.

“We acknowledge that the nature of the allegations will have caused distress to families but want to reassure parents that significant wrap-around support for students and broader communities was immediately put in place at the relevant schools,” the spokesman said.

The department spokesman said the support included family access to individual counselling and support for as long as it was required.

Boden Reece Ashworth.

“Each school has communicated with parents to advise that the safety and welfare of all students continues to be its highest priority,” the spokesman said.

“Each school has provided its community with a single point of contact for investigating police and has encouraged parents to come forward to police should they have any information of interest.”

The statement said the schools have asked parents to speak with their children about any concerns their child may have and to immediately contact police if they make any disclosures about harm or witnessing harm.

“The principals of each of the impacted schools has offered to meet with any parent who has any concerns,” the statement said.

“It is important that the integrity of these investigations is not compromised by commenting further about serious matters before the courts.”

Mr Ashworth is due to appear in court again on February 3, 2023.